


Running Out of Time

by TheDumbestAvenger



Series: Whumptober 2020 [4]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Drowning, Gen, Irondad, Peter Parker Whump, Protective Tony Stark, Whumptober 2020
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-04
Updated: 2020-10-04
Packaged: 2021-03-07 16:40:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 978
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26810800
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheDumbestAvenger/pseuds/TheDumbestAvenger
Summary: “Mister Stark?” Peter’s yell ripped his throat raw as he hammered his fists against the glass. “Help, please! Is anyone there?” It didn’t give, didn’t even crack. Peter braced his back against the opposite side of the infernal cage and slammed his feet into the glass.Nothing. It must be laced with vibranium.And then a trickle of water dripped down from the roof.“Tony?”OrTony came home to find Peter’s mask nailed to his front door, a note reading 'time’s running out' taped to it. With the clock ticking, he fights to reach Peter before it’s too late.Whumptober 2020 ChallengeDay 4 - Prompt "Running Out of Time" - Caged
Relationships: Peter Parker & Tony Stark
Series: Whumptober 2020 [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1946023
Comments: 6
Kudos: 110
Collections: Whumptober 2020





	Running Out of Time

**Author's Note:**

> Day 4! It's a shorter one today, just Tony, Peter, and a good old life or death situation.
> 
> Hope you enjoy :D
> 
> *Warnings*  
> Drowning

“Mister Stark?” Peter’s yell ripped his throat raw as he hammered his fists against the glass. “Help, please! Is anyone there?” It didn’t give, didn’t even crack. Peter braced his back against the opposite side of the infernal cage and slammed his feet into the glass. 

Nothing. It must be laced with vibranium.

And then a trickle of water dripped down from the roof.

“Tony?”

* * *

Tony ran forward, his heart hammering with every step. This had to be the place that psychopath had Peter hold hostage. He’d sent Rhodey off to deal with him while he focused on rescuing the kid.

He found himself in a maze, literally. A mixture of spiked wrought iron fences and thick hedges of holly and rose created a series of twisting pathways, barely three steps long before he came to yet another fork in the trail. Deep red rose petals littered the ground, leading Tony further into the madness.

Frantically, he turned corner after corner, all too aware of how long had passed since he saw the note.  _ Time’s running out,  _ that’s all it said. That, taped to Spider-Man’s mask and nailed to his front door, was all it took to thoroughly rattle Tony Stark. His hands shook, knees so weak it was a miracle he was moving at all. The only thing louder than the blood rushing in his ears was the sound of his watch.

_ Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock. _

“Peter?” He cupped his hands to his mouth, praying for a reply. “Kid? Can you hear me?” Straining his ears, he listened through the darkness. Only rustling of leaves spoke back to him.

He turned at random. There was no clue, no hint which way led to Peter and which way only took him farther away. Left, right, left again. Should he have gone right? Maybe he should go back? Was he just running in circles?

_ Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock. _

Rose thorns scratched Tony’s arms as he brushed past them in his haste. His legs screamed out for rest, though Tony wouldn’t grant them that until Peter was safely in his arms.

The sun had long since set. A full moon now visible overhead and casting the faintest of glow down to the earth below, surrounded by stars. Peter always liked the stars. With the Avengers Facility being out of the city, he’d often sit on the roof and just stare up as they shined down on him, uninhibited by the blinding city lights.

Right. Right. Left. Straight ahead-

Tony froze. Before him, in the centre of the maze, stood a wooden shed, slightly larger than the average size, and much taller. He flung the door open and raced inside. “Peter?”

A single light illuminated the room, and it took Tony’s eyes a second to adjust. The sight knocked the air from his chest. Peter stood, trapped in a glass cage, water already up to his chest and more pouring down on top of his head. His curls flattened against his face.

Peter hammered his hands against the glass, his mouth moving wordlessly. Tony hit the cage with his fist, “Peter! It’s okay. I’ll get you out.” He wasn’t sure Peter could hear him but hoped that he could. It took a second to realise that if Peter couldn’t smash the glass, Tony stood no chance. He stepped back and tapped the nanobot housing unit on his chest, materialising his suit.

The water reached Peter’s chin. He titled his head back to gain more time before it overwhelmed him, treading water. Tony raised a hand and levelled it at the glass, firing a shot from his repulsor. A minuscule spiderweb of thin, white cracks appeared. He shot again, and again, each hit growing the cracks a painfully small amount.

_ Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock. _

By now, Peter had one cheek pressed against the roof of his cage, only seconds left to breathe. He took one gulping breath before being submerged. He floated down, eyes wide and fearful as his hair drifted on its own accord, cheeks puffed out, and hit his hands hopelessly against the glass once more.

Tony kept firing, focusing only on the fact that the cracks were spreading, almost covering the entire middle section of the cage wall. With every second that passed, Peter’s attempts at freedom weakened, his lips starting to tinge blue. Whether from the cold or lack of oxygen, Tony didn’t know. Probably both. Then they stopped altogether, and Peter’s body floated limply in the tank.

With an almighty yell, Tony strode forward and kicked, aiming for the dead centre where the cracks were most numerous. He put all his remaining strength into it, every last ounce he had put into saving Peter.

At first, he thought it hadn’t worked. Then the cracks started to widen, spreading further and allowing a dribble of water to leak out. The more they grew, the more water escaped. With barely a seconds warning, the glass exploded outwards and bounced off of Tony’s suit, water spilling out and cascading across the floor. Tony lunged forwards and caught Peter before he could get washed away, falling to his knees as his legs finally gave out beneath him.

The suit dematerialised. Tony tapped Peter’s cheek gently, whispering, “Come on, kid. Don’t leave me. Come back.”

Peter spluttered up water, Tony turning him to the side so he didn’t choke, and coughed violently, gasping in great lungfuls of air.

“It’s okay,” Tony soothed, rubbing his hand on the kid’s back. “I’ve got you.”

Weakly, Peter rolled back, his head nestled in the crook of Tony’s arm. “Hey, Mister Stark.”

“Hey yourself. You had me worried for a second.”

“‘M fine,” Peter mumbled, cuddling closer as he sought out warmth. He peeled his eyes open and met Tony’s loving gaze. “Can we go home now? I’m kinda hungry.”

Tony chuckled. “Of course you are.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading!


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